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How is MELI Holding its Lead in LATAM's Acquiring Business Space?
ZACKS· 2025-07-17 18:06
Core Insights - MercadoLibre (MELI) has established itself as the leading fintech acquiring engine in Latin America by focusing on small and informal sellers rather than large retailers [1][2] Group 1: Business Growth and Performance - MELI's Acquiring Total Payment Volume (TPV) reached $40.3 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting a 59% year-over-year FX-neutral growth [2] - Mexico and Brazil have experienced nine consecutive quarters of double-digit TPV growth, while Argentina's TPV surged 144% year-over-year, FX-neutral [2][4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q2 2025 total TPV is approximately $64 billion [4] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - MELI faces competition from StoneCo (STNE) and DLocal (DLO), both of which are expanding in key Latin American markets [5][6] - StoneCo processed R$133.5 billion ($24.7 billion) in TPV in Q1 2025, with a client base of 4.4 million [5] - DLocal achieved $8.1 billion in TPV in Q1 2025, marking a 53% year-over-year increase [6] Group 3: Strategic Focus and Future Outlook - MELI is concentrating on serving small and medium-sized businesses while enhancing support for micro-sellers [3] - The company is improving recurring payment features, adding point-of-sale devices, and providing business tools for inventory and billing [3] - By integrating credit, banking, payments, and software, MELI aims to facilitate digital participation for more individuals and businesses [4] Group 4: Stock Performance and Valuation - MELI shares have increased by 41.2% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Internet – Commerce industry and the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector [7] - The stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 3.90X, compared to the industry's 2.17X [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q2 2025 earnings is $12.01 per share, indicating a 14.60% year-over-year growth [15]